ACG+: COSHH regulations?

Can the ACG+ be used to test the quality of breathing air used to protect personnel from hazards posed by a hazardous substance covered by the COSHH regulations?

ANSWER

In part yes, the ACG+ can measure the quality of breathing air to the standards required for the gases it measures, O2, CO2, CO, VOC’s and H2O). The required standards listed in the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP 9) are the same as BS EN 12021.

Where the risk assessment for a process highlights a gas that is not measured by the ACG+. i.e. a hazardous substance used, produces a harmful gas in quantities greater than save exposure limits, such that it is a danger. Depending upon the gas in question it may be possible to test for the gas using the ACG+’s sample support function with a colourimetric tube specific to the gas. If this is not possible then the ACG+ would not be suitable as the only test method employed under the COSHH regulations.